Story & photos by Mike Besa
It’s impossible to discuss Canlubang Golf and Country Club’s North Course without talking about the South Course. The South is the yin to the North Course’s yang. While the North is somewhat subdued, the South is the direct opposite. It’s a flamboyant layout that’s set on the hillier side of the property. It’s marginally shorter than its more highly regarded sibling but it will dazzle you with some of the most picturesque holes in Philippine Golf.
My friend Robin Moyer likens the North and South Courses to a man and a woman, respectively. It’s a good analogy. The North is the strong silent type while the South seduces you with the sheer beauty of the layout.
The South Course winds up into the foothills and presents some stunning views of Laguna de Bay and the Sierra Madres. The ravines seem wider and more menacing than those on the North Course. The holes unfold in dramatic fashion, asking you to drive over tall trees and ravines; there’s not much that’s subtle about the South.
The South Course takes advantage of the elevation changes to delight the golfer with spectacular vistas. This is a course where you need to stop frequently, look around you and appreciate the beauty of your surroundings. This is golf in the Philippines on the grandest scale. Deep ravines define the edges and present hazards on seven holes on the golf course. The ravines are filled with old growth rain forest and are just stunning. The wide Bermuda fairways are lined with tall native grasses and coconut trees and will severely penalize the wayward.
The one knock on the South Course is the number of forced carries that is required to navigate it. There are nine all in all; five on the outward nine and four on the inward nine. This makes it difficult for new or beginning golfers to enjoy a round of golf here.
To the seasoned golfer, it is a playground like no other. It will test you with length and its strategic demands. You will need every shot in your arsenal and a good head on your shoulders to post a good score. It’s a true ball-striker’s golf course.
Then there’s the golf course’s condition. It’s an older course and hasn’t seen a full-on renovation since its completion. The Bermuda fairways are largely intact but have seen some encroachment by local grasses. The zoysia greens are quite robust if a bit slow on regular days but speed them up just a bit and their character changes immensely.
Golf in Canlubang is like entering a time capsule. This was the playground of the Yulo family during the height of their wealth and influence. It is a look back at how things used to be in a more genteel time. I spent much time here growing up; playing little league baseball and accompanying my father to his reunions. It feels so familiar and yet much grander than my memories permit. It’s reminder of grander times when land was plentiful and the passion of one family for the game of golf as formidable as their holdings.
The golf course starts easily enough but grabs your attention with the tee shot on five. Five requires a forced carry over a ravine. It’s far less intimidating today with the death of the tree that was positioned squarely in the middle of your line to the fairway. The club has replanted a replacement, but it will be a few years before it grows tall enough to intimidate and put pressure on your tee shot. Six is the one-handicap hole. It’s a bit of a puzzle that requires accuracy and intestinal fortitude to play well. It demands a long, accurate tee shot that flirts with the ravine fronting the green or a long second which must also contend with the threatening hazard.
But it is the back nine where the course really begins to strut its stuff. Situated on the hilliest portion of the property, every hole is memorable. There truly isn’t a bad one in the bunch. Ten is a very strong par-4. It’s long and the best line to the fairway must challenge the lake that borders the 10th tee and final green. Cheat too far to the safe side and you’ll find yourself in the rough or OB. It’s a tough hole but immensely rewarding when you get it right.
Eleven through 17 are breathtaking golf holes. Eleven is a dramatic par 5 that sweeps down from the elevated tee then up again into the foothills that lead to the highest parts of the golf course. Twelve and 13 are the holes at the back nine’s zenith before 14 takes you back down and reveals spectacular views of Laguna de Bay in the distance.
If ever there was a hole that defines a golf course, it is the signature 17th at the South Course. A massive acacia tree fronts the green of the short par 3, perched precariously on the edge of a ravine. Jones Jr. is so fond of this hole that a picture of it graces the pages of his book, Golf by Design.
The condition of the golf course aside, it is difficult not to be enamored with Canlubang’s South Course. It is a spectacular piece of work executed on a scale that will never be replicated in this country again. It is a masterpiece and a true icon of golf in the Philippines.
Image credits: Mike Besa